Ahmedabad, August 12: Ahmedabad-based architect Jayesh Hariyani, Founder and Senior Principal of INI Design Studio, has been recognised as an International Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), receiving the prestigious FRIBA distinction for his contribution to architecture and society. The RIBA Fellowship is among the architecture profession’s most distinguished international honours and recognises architects whose work has made a significant contribution to architecture and society beyond their home country.
The distinction is conferred through an internationally recognised peer-review process. The recognition adds to Hariyani’s international professional standing. In 2021, he was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA). With both FRIBA and FAIA, Hariyani joins a rare group of architects of Indian origin to have received both distinctions.
Late B.V. Doshi and late Charles Correa are the only other architects from India to have received both fellowships. Speaking on the recognition, Jayesh Hariyani said, “Architecture is ultimately about creating places that respond to people, context and the needs of a changing society. Being recognised by an institution such as RIBA is a rare honour, but I see it less as a personal milestone and more as recognition of the work that people across our practice have contributed to over the years. It also reinforces the responsibility to continue exploring how design can create lasting value.” Hariyani has more than three decades of experience across architecture, planning, engineering, landscape design, sustainability and research.
Under his leadership, INI Design Studio has grown into a multidisciplinary practice with nearly 500 professionals and projects across India and international markets. The studio’s portfolio spans education, healthcare, science and research, urban development, tourism, airports, civic infrastructure, museums, sports and cultural heritage. Among its projects in India are masterplans for sacred towns including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Ambaji and Beyt Dwarka, the Ahmedabad Iconic City Square, and the Vision Plan of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave.
Other notable projects include campuses of Shiv Nadar University, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Gujarat Technological University, Dumas Sea Face and Dharoi Dam waterfront developments, Rajkot Smart City Masterplan, Science Centres at Rajkot and Bhuj, and Gujarat Science City. Earlier in his international career, Hariyani worked on projects including Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US, as well as Al Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi and the Motorcity Masterplan in Dubai.
INI Design Studio has also received national and international recognition across architecture, urban design, landscape and sustainability, and is listed in the WA100, Building Design’s global ranking of major architecture practices. Hariyani’s FRIBA recognition comes at a time when Indian architectural practices are increasingly contributing to global conversations around sustainable development, resilient cities, public infrastructure and cultural preservation. For the profession in India, the distinction highlights the growing reach of Indian architectural expertise and its contribution to projects across geographies. For Hariyani, the recognition marks another stage in a career that has sought to connect design with the broader needs of people and places, while continuing to explore the role architecture can play in shaping the built environment.
